Charax Spasinu

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Charax Spasinu, or Charax Pasinu, Charax Spasinou (Greek: Χάρακα του Σπασίνου), Alexandria (Greek: Αλεξανδρία), and Antiochia in Susiana (Greek: Αντιόχεια της Σουσιανής) was an ancient port at the head of the Persian Gulf.

Although the exact location is still to be determined it appears that it was at the site of the large mound known as Jabal Khuyabir or Naisan near the confluence of the Eulaios/Karkheh and the Tigris Rivers.

It was originally built by Alexander the Great and named Alexandria, like many other towns, after him. After destruction by floods, it was rebuilt by Antiochus IV (175-164 BCE) and renamed Antiochia. It was provided with a massive antiflood embankment almost 4½ km long by Antiochus's governor, Hyspaosines, and renamed "Charax of Hyspaosines."

The name Charax derives from Greek Χάραξ 'palisaded fort' - related to Aramaic karkhā "fortified settlement, town". It was used for a number of fortified towns in the Seleucid Empire.

"The town of Charax is situated in the innermost recess of the Persian Gulf, from which projects the country called Arabia Felix. It stands on an artificial elevation between the Tigris on the right and the Karún on the left, at the point where these two rivers unite, and the site measures two [Roman] miles [3 km] in breadth. . . . It was originally at a distance of 1¼ miles [1.9 km] from the coast, and had a harbour of its own, but when Juba Juba II (born c. 50 BCE – died c. CE 24) published his work it was 50 miles [74 km] inland ; its present distance from the coast is stated by Arab envoys and our own traders who have come from the place to be 120 miles [178 km]. There is no part of the world where earth carried down by rivers has encroached on the sea further or more rapidly. . . ." Pliny NH (77 CE), VI. xxxi.

Although it was nominally a vassal of the Seleucids and, later, the Parthians, it seemed to retain a considerable degree of autonomy at times. It became a centre for Arab trade, largely controlled by the Nabataeans, at least until they became assimilated by the Romans in 106 CE.

Charax was a rich port with ships arriving regularly from Gerrha, Egypt, India, and beyond. It was also the beginning of the overland trade route from the Persian Gulf to Petra and Palmyra.

It was visited in 97 CE by the Chinese envoy, Gan Ying 甘英, who referred to it as 于羅 (Pinyin: Yuluo; reconstructed ancient pronunciation *ka-ra), who was trying to reach the Roman Empire via Egypt but, after reaching the Persian Gulf was convinced to turn back by the Parthians.

In 116 CE the Roman Emperor Trajan visited Charax Spasinu – his most recent, easternmost and shortest-lived possession. He saw the many ships setting sail for India, and wished he were younger, like Alexander had been, so that he could go there himself.

It was enlarged by an Arabian chieftain, Spasines and afterward named Spasines and Charax Spasinou after him. [1] It was a major trading center of late antiquity as evidenced by the hoards of Greek coins recovered during excavations there. [2]

[edit] References

Casson, Lionel. 1989. The Periplus Maris Erythraei. (Translation by H. Frisk, 1927, with updates and improvements and detailed notes). Princeton, Princeton University Press.
Hill, John E. 2003. "Annotated Translation of the Chapter on the Western Regions according to the Hou Hanshu." 2nd Draft Edition. Charax Spasinu is described as the Kingdom of Yuluo. [3]
Nodelman, S. A. 1960. "A preliminary history of Characene." S. A. Nodelman. Berytus 13 (1960), pp. 83-123.
Potts, D. J. 1988. "Arabia and the Kingdom of Characene." In: Araby the Blest: Studies in Arabian Archaeology. Edited by D. T. Potts. The Carsten Niebuhr Istitute of Ancient Near Eastern Studies, University of Copenhagen. 1988. Museum Tusculanum Press, pp. 137-167.
Schoff, Wilfred H. 1914. Parthian Stations by Isidore of Charax: An account of the overland trade route between the Levant and India in the first century B.C. The Greek text, with a translation and commentary. Reprint by Ares Publishers Chicago. 1989.
O. Mørkholm, "A Greek coin hoard from Susiana", in Acta Archæologica, 1965, vol. 36, p. 127-156.